The reliability predictions represent extrapolations made from data reported on older devices, such as the Surface 3, Surface Pro 3, and other devices sold during that time, the CRreportsaid.

Let's start with Consumer Reports.

Consumer Reports and Microsoft are now in disagreement over the former's Surface tablet and Surface Laptop reliability concerns. The issue comes down to the product's reliability.

That's where things get tricky. When it does, it is too vague to be useful, or too specific to be helpful. Actual problems that consumers experienced included freezing or unexpected shutdowns, and touchscreens that weren't responsive enough, the publication said.

CR'sreport cites customer complaints about startup difficulties, machines that froze or shut down unexpectedly, and unresponsive touch screens. The headline reason for the withdrawal of the recommendation was a prediction of poor reliability.

"A number" and "a few" aren't hard numbers.

Consumer Reports based its decision on the results of an annual subscriber survey about the products such people own and use.

Still, Microsoft is in reasonable company: both Apple and Tesla have had their Consumer Reports ratings reduced in the past. The company responded to the rating change saying, "Microsoft's real-world return and support rates for past models differ significantly from Consumer Reports' breakage predictability". Second, incidents per unit have "improved from generation to generation" with a current rate below 1%.

Microsoft also earned high scores in PCMag's overall Laptops category, although it trailed Apple, MSI, and Alienware. To be on the safe side, buy extended warranties for Microsoft Surface.

Panay's response focuses on failure and return rates for the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book, which suffered from a nagging sleep bug. That's not a lot percentage-wise, but it's probably more than you'd like, isn't it? Should owners of these laptop and tablets panic?

So while I don't exactly doubt the findings of the Consumer Reports study, I remain bullish on Surface in general, and would still recommend its hardware - especially its most recent hardware - to anybody who was looking for a Windows-powered Mac alternative. So, let's take a look at Microsoft's Surface defence piece and whether it does as much defence as it appears to on the surface.